hippopotamus an iconic symbol of the
continent of Africa the semi aquatic
creatures roam wild here and nowhere
else in the world at least they didn’t
until now this small herd of wild hippos
lives thousands of miles from Africa in
the South American country of Colombia
how they got here is a crime story where
they’re going is a mystery it began
decades ago here in what’s called the
hacienda nápoles now it’s a ruin but
this was once the fortress and personal
playground one of the world’s most
famous criminals Pablo Escobar’s ruler
to the medellin drug cartel
Escobar used his ill-gotten wealth to
stock this 7,000 acre estate with prime
an airstrip
dozens of buildings and a faux jurassic
park complete with life-sized dinosaurs
he also had his own personal Zoo stocked
with exotic species such as zebras
giraffes and four hippopotamus Mombasa
to the bility Lopez goes by the name
chocolate is now a ranger for the
environmental agency in charge of much
of hacienda nápoles he knows what it
was like before
Escobar’s downfall see alterior meant a
Louie Papa Tamil Austin EMPs Akalis
originally the hippos were kept in this
Lagoon right here and not another big
one over there they would feed them in
this area and they would give them
carrots and salt will eat grass there
was a lot there since this place was
left alone and no one was taking care of
it the electric fence stopped work so
they started to break through the wire
fences because the barbed wire has to
stop them so they started to take over
the whole ranch and run freely
everywhere started to hang out the
largest lake most of Escobar’s wild
animals were captured and taken to zoos
at least two of the hippos were left
behind they rank among the second
largest mammals in the world and can
produce calves every two years
Pablo’s hippos adapted to this lush
landscape devoid of natural predators
and they went forth and multiply the
herd now numbers about 16 perhaps more
some have proposed turning hacienda
nápoles into a theme park the
government plans to use part of the site
to build a prison – Darwin is it de la
casa Chris Kira the photos co-op we’re
in the area of Pablo Escobar’s old house
as you’re seeing what’s left here ruins
here we can see how the people have
ruined the floors because they’ve come
looking for treasure and all of that
stuff once they brought a backhoe into
this area of the pool in the bar they
knocked that over with a backhoe so when
you come in and look at the state it’s
in well I get nostalgic because the
government could have maintained this or
this could have been self sustained by
charging entrance fees it could have
been kept as he had it it’s sad to see
it like this
Escobar was a troubling figure Colombian
history and dealing with his legacy is
apt to be a touchy subject which leaves
the hippos some of which have reportedly
wandered off from the main herd to
establish new stomping grounds hippos
can be dangers and some are worried well
I already have one as you say we’ll feel
about it
whole queuing up to model do go there
could be human losses and I’m sure there
will be because they will take over the
river as their territory people take
sand out of the river they transport
products like plantains and yucca
everything that they ship by boats and
if these animals are in the river well
forget it because people won’t be able
to pass through or they will be prone to
have an accident caused by these animals
Colombia has offered the hippos free for
the taking and some environmental groups
have expressed tentative interest but
like Pablo Escobar these big guys
probably won’t go quietly and if they
can’t be caught the government hints
they may have to be shot just like their
former owner gunned down on the run for
some that would be a tragedy they see
the hippos as a positive legacy of the
despised man
Columbia has come a long way from its
darkest days but years after his death
Pablo Escobar continues to stir emotions
and create problems for Colombians and
hippos far from their ancestral home
carry the weight of their troubled
history
continent of Africa the semi aquatic
creatures roam wild here and nowhere
else in the world at least they didn’t
until now this small herd of wild hippos
lives thousands of miles from Africa in
the South American country of Colombia
how they got here is a crime story where
they’re going is a mystery it began
decades ago here in what’s called the
hacienda nápoles now it’s a ruin but
this was once the fortress and personal
playground one of the world’s most
famous criminals Pablo Escobar’s ruler
to the medellin drug cartel
Escobar used his ill-gotten wealth to
stock this 7,000 acre estate with prime
an airstrip
dozens of buildings and a faux jurassic
park complete with life-sized dinosaurs
he also had his own personal Zoo stocked
with exotic species such as zebras
giraffes and four hippopotamus Mombasa
to the bility Lopez goes by the name
chocolate is now a ranger for the
environmental agency in charge of much
of hacienda nápoles he knows what it
was like before
Escobar’s downfall see alterior meant a
Louie Papa Tamil Austin EMPs Akalis
originally the hippos were kept in this
Lagoon right here and not another big
one over there they would feed them in
this area and they would give them
carrots and salt will eat grass there
was a lot there since this place was
left alone and no one was taking care of
it the electric fence stopped work so
they started to break through the wire
fences because the barbed wire has to
stop them so they started to take over
the whole ranch and run freely
everywhere started to hang out the
largest lake most of Escobar’s wild
animals were captured and taken to zoos
at least two of the hippos were left
behind they rank among the second
largest mammals in the world and can
produce calves every two years
Pablo’s hippos adapted to this lush
landscape devoid of natural predators
and they went forth and multiply the
herd now numbers about 16 perhaps more
some have proposed turning hacienda
nápoles into a theme park the
government plans to use part of the site
to build a prison – Darwin is it de la
casa Chris Kira the photos co-op we’re
in the area of Pablo Escobar’s old house
as you’re seeing what’s left here ruins
here we can see how the people have
ruined the floors because they’ve come
looking for treasure and all of that
stuff once they brought a backhoe into
this area of the pool in the bar they
knocked that over with a backhoe so when
you come in and look at the state it’s
in well I get nostalgic because the
government could have maintained this or
this could have been self sustained by
charging entrance fees it could have
been kept as he had it it’s sad to see
it like this
Escobar was a troubling figure Colombian
history and dealing with his legacy is
apt to be a touchy subject which leaves
the hippos some of which have reportedly
wandered off from the main herd to
establish new stomping grounds hippos
can be dangers and some are worried well
I already have one as you say we’ll feel
about it
whole queuing up to model do go there
could be human losses and I’m sure there
will be because they will take over the
river as their territory people take
sand out of the river they transport
products like plantains and yucca
everything that they ship by boats and
if these animals are in the river well
forget it because people won’t be able
to pass through or they will be prone to
have an accident caused by these animals
Colombia has offered the hippos free for
the taking and some environmental groups
have expressed tentative interest but
like Pablo Escobar these big guys
probably won’t go quietly and if they
can’t be caught the government hints
they may have to be shot just like their
former owner gunned down on the run for
some that would be a tragedy they see
the hippos as a positive legacy of the
despised man
Columbia has come a long way from its
darkest days but years after his death
Pablo Escobar continues to stir emotions
and create problems for Colombians and
hippos far from their ancestral home
carry the weight of their troubled
history
Please follow and like us: